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True. I let it go, watching my feet so I didn’t trip over anything. The path seemed mostly clear, but there were roots every once in a while from the trees to contend with.

“You’re handling this pretty well, considering.”

I made a face, stumbling slightly over a dip before Callum righted me again. “If you call screaming at him to fuck off and punching him in the face, handling it well.”

“You found out your family was in danger. I would’ve been angry too. But I know Az. He doesn’t hurt humans. He wouldn’t have gotten anywhere near you without Athena’s guidance. She helped raise him. She is one of the few people he trusts in this world. I can’t say he even trusts our friend group as much as her.”

Drawing in a deep breath, I let it out slowly. “How does she know? That I’m his mate or whatever. We barely know each other.”

“As much as humans like to say it's instantaneous, it really isn’t. I was attracted to my mate. I wanted to spend more time with him, but I didn’t know what he was to me until I was faced with the idea of losing him. Az is probably at the same stage you are. Attraction, protectiveness, maybe affection. The only reason Athena can see more is because she’s an oracle. She must have divined it in a vision. She tries not to when it comes to things like mates. It puts too much pressure on a couple if they think they have to end up together. But I think she was desperate. We’re all worried for him, but only she can see what the future holds.” He paused for a second before continuing. “I don’t consider her power to be a gift. I’d hate to know things that could save people and not be able to do anything about it.”

When he first mentioned it, it sounded cool to be able to see the future. But he had a point. She saw what would happen if Aziel didn’t stick with me. I heard the terror in her voice. It would be awful knowing someone was taking the wrong path but being unable to change it.

The trail opened up to a little cottage. Lights spilled from the insideonto the front lawn. It was too dark to get a lot of details, especially with the moonlight blocked by the trees, but the rock path seemed to glow as guidance and when we got close enough, a light flicked on beside the door.

Someone poked their head out, frowning at us. She studied us for a moment before pushing the door open and stepping back. Callum urged me forward with his hand on my shoulder, ducking inside the little cottage.

There wasn’t much to it. It was mostly one big room, the kitchen in one corner on the left, and a little sitting area in front of a roaring fire. And on the right, Aziel kneeled beside a bed occupied by a wisp of a woman. She was asleep, her breathing steady, and Aziel held her hand as he murmured quietly to her.

When I got closer, I could see more of the woman’s face. It took me a minute to realize she was a demon. Her face was sunken, she took up almost no space on the bed, and where her horns should be were only jagged stumps.

“What happened to her?”

Aziel sighed, his eyes locked on the woman. “She tried to leave. Her and my father. They didn’t agree with my uncle’s vision and wanted no part of it. They dropped me and my sister off with Athena and promised they’d come back for us when it was safe. But they were caught before they got away. They made my dad watch as they tortured his mate. And then they killed him.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

AZIEL

I hated coming here.Hated seeing her like this. I was young when they tried to leave, but I still remembered her. She was a kind and gentle woman. She used to sing us songs to help us fall asleep and if I woke up with a nightmare, she’d lie down with me until I could fall back asleep. She didn’t deserve to be hurt like this. They broke her, body and spirit. The only reason she was still alive was because a maid snuck her out when my uncle came looking for me and my sister.

I didn’t see her again for ten years. That same maid found me while I was reporting to my uncle and asked me to meet her. She told me she didn’t say anything before because she was worried I’d be like my uncle. My sister went down that path, resenting our parents for putting her at the bottom of the totem pole with our family. She still wasn’t respected, but she was feared enough that they accepted her. But not me. I remembered enough of my parents’ lessons to not let them change me. Once I was old enough, the maid led me to my mother. I hid her out here and visited her enough to let her know I was there, but not enough to draw attention. She didn’t remember me often anyway, so I tried not to feel guilty about that.

The only other person who knew about this place was Athena. She wasthe one who helped hide her. The healer who took care of my mother was Athena’s sister. It didn’t surprise me that she told them where I was. It wouldn’t change anything anyway. I wasn’t going back. I was going to take the attention off of Declan and Ollie by doing what I should’ve done years ago. When I ran, they would come after me instead.

Kissing the back of my mother’s hand one last time, I laid it gently beside her and stood. I stepped past Declan and Callum, stopping to thank Celeste for watching my mother before I left. She offered me a sad smile, squeezing my hands gently, but she didn’t argue with me about leaving. She knew this was for the best.

When I stepped outside, Callum and Declan followed me. I couldn’t teleport here, not without drawing attention to this place. I had no choice but to walk, knowing they’d follow me.

“Aziel, stop!” Declan demanded.

I ignored him. Nothing he could say would change my mind. They were targeting him. I had to get my uncle’s attention away from him. I headed down the path, out of sight of the cottage and away from everything important to me.

With a frustrated growl, Declan tackled me. I hadn’t seen that coming, so we both hit the ground hard. He had my arm wrenched up behind my back before I could get my bearings and the pain froze me in place.

“If you think for a second that I’m going to let you get yourself killed, you are delusional.”

I struggled, a low growl in my throat, but every time I tried to move, he pulled harder on my arm until I felt like it’d pull from the socket. I experienced that once. It was excruciating.

Fisting the back of my hair, Declan forced my head back, hissing in my ear. “You came to me, Aziel. You drew me into this. You don’t get to fucking walk away now. Not until I say so.”

Despite the pain, goosebumps swept down my neck, and my cock swelled. He made me feel owned, but not like my family did. Like I was something worth fighting for.

“Callum, right?”

I heard Callum grunt in response.

“Can you give us a minute?”